Long-Case Clock

The long-case pendulum clock, developed about 1657 in Holland by Christian Huygens, produced a revolution in time-keeping, reducing the margin of error from fifteen minutes to a few seconds per day.  It was soon adopted in England where it reached its apogee, for the clock movements made there by masters such as Daniel Quare and Thomas Tompion between 1680 and 1720 are considered the finest of the day.  The movement of this clock was made during that golden age by George Tyler who worked in London after 1692.

The pendulum clock inspired cabinetmakers to produce tall, elaborately decorated cases to conceal and protect the unsightly pendulum and weights.  Tyler's eight-day movement with anchor escapement is housed in an architecturally-inspired, walnut-veneered oak case with the great height fashionable from about 1700 until 1720.  The arabesque floral marquetry decoration was inspired by the brass and tortoise-shell work popularized by André-Charles Boulle, the leading French cabinetmaker of the period, and follows designs published by Jean Berain.